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Thursday, April 21, 2016

Welcome back, Bonnie.
What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

A few of my minor characters are unsaved, but most of the
major ones are Christians who struggle with answers about what God is doing in
their lives. I have underlying situations in every story that the heroines have
to overcome with strong faith. Physical abuse is one (although all off stage),
alcoholism is another, fear of not being in control is also another. Book four
of the Candy
Cane Girls Series will have a surprise. I met the hero the other day
at the bank! I can’t wait to write about him, but I can’t decide who will fall
in love with him – Connie or Doreen or Melanie. Maybe Emily. Mmm.

I love the covers for
her Candy Cane Girl Series. Here’s the cover for her Christmas one.

What other books of
yours are coming out soon?

The third book in The Candy Cane Girls Series should be out
next month. I haven’t titled it yet, but I’m toying with Her Wild Ride. It will feature two girls instead of just one –
Natalie and Candy. There are six original Candy Canes, members of a winning
high school swim team, and one honorary one, Melanie. All the women are
currently in their mid-twenties, but still fast friends. There is potential for
an extended series beyond the Candy Canes themselves. Several of their parents,
especially their mothers, are begging me to tell their stories, too. Also, a
few minor characters have special stories to share. One story may even be told
from a cat’s perspective. Star, the cat, has a lot to say.

The Candy Cane series is set in Newport Beach, California,
as are some of my other books. Some others, including my debut novel Butterfly Dreams, are set in Scottsdale, Arizona.
There is one on the back burner set in Cambridge Springs,
Pennsylvania, and another partially set in Sweden and Norway. I do not make up towns or
cities, but I do make up fictional businesses and homes. During a book signing
for Butterfly Dreams one of the women
asked me exactly where the coffee shop is in Scottsdale because she wanted to visit it.
She was disappointed when I told her it was a fictional place. But another
reader loved recognizing the streets.

If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?

I would love to spend time with Debbie Macomber. I missed
doing that at the ACFW conference where she was the keynote speaker. I love her
Cedar Cove series, but I have a fond memory of the personal email she sent to
me some years ago. I had asked her if she was a Christian because although she
doesn’t write for CBA, her stories seem to reveal her faith. In her email she
told me the exact date when she had accepted Christ. I treasure that letter.

I didn’t really get
to spend time with her at the ACFW conference in Denver, but I did have my picture taken with
her. I treasure that. What historical person would you like to meet (besides
Jesus) and why?

I had to think about that for a while. I’ve decided if I
could only meet one, I would like to spend a few hours with Martin Luther King,
Jr. He had such a passion for his beliefs, and it’s really because of him so
much progress has been made in integration. But not enough. I imagine him
looking down from heaven with tears on his face.

How can you encourage
authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

I think if you really believe you have a story to tell, if
God put story-telling on your heart, you should trust the reason why. If only
one person’s faith is changed you have done your job and honored Him. My
biggest fan is a Jewish friend who devours my books. Only God knows why.

Tell us about the
featured book.

Here is the back cover blurb for Her Valentine Promise:

The Candy
Canes are a tight knit group; the six girls are like sisters. They share
everything from successes to secrets. Even marriage doesn’t keep them apart.
Then …

Cindy caught
the bridal bouquet, and Rob caught the blue garter. Neither of them believed in
fate or tradition. But, something happened when she stepped on his toes
dancing.

When Rob
agreed to help his brother by working in the Love In Bloom Floral Shop while
Braydon was on his honeymoon, he asked Cindy to join him. He didn’t know what
to expect, especially over Christmas break. Would she take over with her
promotional ideas and anger his mother, the owner?

Would their
relationship flower? Could Cindy accept Rob’s secrets? How would that change
her love for him? And, what about Emily, the woman who claimed Rob loved her?

Cindy has
decisions to make. She is supposed to receive her unique engagement ring on
Valentine’s Day. Should she accept it, or say no to Rob because of the secrets
he recently shared? If she accepts, they will have a lifelong commitment and
have a wedding on the beach. Is she strong enough to go through with the plan,
or should she back out and be safe?

Please give us the
first page of the book.

This is the prologue:

“Ouch!”

“What?”

“You stepped
on my toes.”

He said it so
matter of factly that Cindy wondered if he was kidding. She looked down at
his black patent shoes. Aw, oh. A scuff
on the right one. Guess Rob was right. Question was … his fault for not being a
good leader or hers for being a bad follower?

“Sorry.”

“S’okay.” He
pulled her closer, and she felt her body melt into the warmth of his.

How can readers find
you on the Internet?

I can be
reached at my email bengstrom@hotmail.com
(be sure to put the word BOOK in the subject line); via my website www.bonnieengstrom.com and my author
page on Face Book. I love to hear from my readers, so please contact me, and be
sure to sign up for my upcoming fun newsletter.

Thank you, Bonnie, for sharing this new book with us.

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Your Candy Cane series sounds deliciously delightful, especially since I love candy canes. It sounds like a group of gals who could cause all sorts of mayhem in hilarity and fun and show the world us Christians (or is it we Christians?) are not just a bunch of stodgy boring naysayers who think we're holier than thou (cause we know we're not holier than thou) but folks who can have fun.

Always enjoying your interviews - I learn a little more each time about you :)

Thank you Ann, Mary, Library Lady Janet and Connie for your lovely comments. BTW, Connie, your namesake is in every Candy Cane book, but has a prominent role in the one coming up. I hope you all enjoy the series. Each book can be a stand alone story, but reading the series from the beginning starting with Her Candy Cane Christmas makes it more fun.